Club Opposes Calls for Caravan 'MOT'

The Camping and Caravanning Club is urging all caravanners to write to their local MEP and oppose the proposal to apply a MOT-style test to touring caravans.

The European Parliament has called for an alteration to the European Commission’s draft proposals for a regulation on the periodic roadworthiness tests for motor vehicles and their trailers.

If the proposed changes to current legislation become law, caravans with a Maximum Authorised Mass of more than 750kg and trailers over 2,000kg will be required to undertake the proposed test.

Robert Louden MBE, the Club’s Director General, said: “The Club fully supports all measures to make our roads safer. However, there is no evidence to suggest roadworthiness testing would improve road safety and I would urge members to write to their MEP outlining their concerns and opposition.

“Caravans have been singled out in these proposals and that is completely unfair.”

According to the Club and industry research, the primary causes for accidents involving caravans in the UK are driving too fast for the conditions, overloading, poor weight distribution, a poor car-caravan match, and tyre condition.

Furthermore, a Department for Transport study showed that only about one per cent of all accidents involved a towed unit, and the majority of those weighed more than 3,500kg.

To introduce the required registration scheme into the UK, estimated implementation costs are more than £230 million – and that’s not including training and the creation of the necessary infrastructure.

Robert added: “Ultimately that cost would have to be borne by the caravanning public, many of whom are our members.

“We would rather see taxpayers’ money spent on education and training to prevent potential problems.”

If the legislation is passed, it would apply from January 1, 2018.

If you’d like to fight against the ruling, the details for MEPs can be found at europarl.org.uk/en/your_MEPs.html

The Camping and Caravanning Club is 111-years-old and is the largest and oldest Club in the world for all forms of camping. It has 109 award-winning sites throughout the UK and, through a partnership with the Forestry Commission, now runs and manages a further 19 Camping in the Forest touring sites.